Sports log: Minnesota’s Rubio cleared to practice

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Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio was cleared to begin practicing for the first time since tearing ligaments in his left knee last March. Rubio met with the doctor who performed his surgery this week to get the final clearance. Rubio tore his ACL against the Lakers on March 9 . . . The Mavericks will sign veteran point guard Derek Fisher, coach Rick Carlisle said after their loss to the Bulls. Fisher averaged 5.6 points and 2.7 assists in 63 games with the Lakers and Thunder last season. He played in all 20 of Oklahoma City’s playoff games, averaging 6.3 points . . . Lakers guard Steve Blake will miss at least two more weeks with an abdominal strain. Blake has missed eight games with the injury, suffered Nov. 11 at Sacramento, and will be out at least seven more . . . Heat forward LeBron James has the league’s hottest-selling jersey, the third time the reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP has held that distinction. Thunder forward Kevin Durant checked in at No. 2, with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant third. The Celtics are represented by guard Rajon Rondo (sixth) and forward Paul Pierce (14th). The Knicks lead the team-sales category, followed by the Heat.

COLLEGES

Tulsa reported AD allegations to NCAA

Tulsa officials said they notified the NCAA immediately after learning director of athletics Ross Parmley was linked to the criminal gambling case against Teddy Mitchell of Oklahoma City. School spokeswoman Kayla Acebo declined to elaborate on the nature of the investigation and NCAA officials also said they cannot comment on current or potential investigations. In a recently unsealed FBI affidavit that accuses Mitchell of running an illegal gambling operation, Parmley, who was placed on paid leave, is described as an ‘‘admitted gambler’’ who wrote a $1,782 check to Mitchell in late 2009. Parmley is not charged in the case . . . Penn State said former president Graham Spanier, who is accused of covering up reports of sexual molestation by retired assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, earned $2.5 million in severance last year . . . Junior center Joshua Smith quit the UCLA’s men’s basketball team for ‘‘personal reasons’’ and was given his immediate release, the second player to leave the program recently. Junior guard Tyler Lamb said last weekend he would transfer. Smith averaged 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in six games this season . . . Stanford junior guard-forward Anthony Brown will miss the rest of the year with a hip injury. Coach Johnny Dawkins said Brown is scheduled to have surgery in mid-December and will apply for a medical redshirt.

Alex Morgan scored three first-half goals and the Olympic gold medal-winning US women’s national team beat Ireland, 5-0, in Portland, Ore., the latest match in an exhibition tour following the London Games. Sydney Leroux added two goals for the top-ranked Americans . . . FIFPro, the global footballers’ union, wants to have talks with FIFA, UEFA and the European Union about clubs using ‘‘blackmail behavior’’ to get players to sign new contracts. The union said Inter Milan wants Wesley Sneijder to sign a one-year extension for no extra money, and that Fernando Llorente was benched by Athletic Bilbao for not renewing a deal which expires next June . . . Luiz Felipe Scolari is expected to be named the new Brazil coach, returning to the national team 10 years after leading it to the 2002 World Cup title . . . Former US national team and D.C. United forward Josh Wolff is retiring as a player and will be a full-time assistant coach with the Major League Soccer club. Wolff also played with the Chicago Fire and Kansas City Wizards in MLS, and in Germany. In 52 games for the US, Wolff had nine goals and five assists . . . FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said he believes Brazil has a lot to do to successfully stage the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup . . . UEFA president Michel Platini said the soccer body is considering scrapping the Europa League and expanding the Champions League.

MISCELLANY

WHL suspends coach-GM for season

The Western Hockey League suspended Portland Winterhawks coach and general manager Mike Johnston for the rest of the season, fined the team $200,000, and took away several draft picks because of player-benefit violations over the past four seasons. The team will be excluded from the first five rounds of the 2013 WHL bantam draft and forfeit first-round selections from 2014 to 2017. Assistant general manager and assistant coach Travis Green, who played two seasons with the Bruins, will assume Johnston’s duties on an interim basis . . . Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht, 29, underwent surgery in Bern on his left knee after dislocating his kneecap and tearing ligaments in a training crash in Alberta last week . . . Steve LeBrun shot 8-under 64 to take the first-round lead in the PGA qualifying tournament in La Quinta, Calif. Edward Loar, Alexandre Rocha, Jin Park, and Kris Blanks were a stroke back . . . Kathleen Ekey, Moriya Jutanugarn, and Kim Welch shot 4-under 68 to share a first-round lead after the first round of the LPGA qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. . . . Globe columnist Bob Ryan will be an honored guest Thursday at a benefit event hosted by The Arthritis Foundation New England Region at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston from 6 to 9 p.m. Dan Shaughnessy and Tony Massarotti will serve on a sports panel.